Sossusvlei & Etosha Classic: Namibia's Great Highlights

This morning you set off south and west into the desert on one of the great drives in Africa, whether at the wheel of your own 4x4 or relaxing as your private guide drives. The tar gives way to gravel as you cross the escarpment and descend into the vast, ancient Namib, the scenery growing ever more spectacular, empty plains, red rock, distant blue mountains and enormous skies. You wind through a dramatic mountain pass and out onto the desert floor, arriving in the afternoon at your lodge near Sesriem, the gateway to Sossusvlei, where the first towering dunes rise on the horizon. Settle in and cool off in the pool, then perhaps take a sundowner drive or simply watch the desert light soften to gold and rose over the dunes. As night falls, the silence is total and the stars blaze overhead. Rest well, for tomorrow you rise before dawn for the dunes.

You rise in the dark to reach the park gate at first light, driving into the heart of the Namib as the rising sun sets the towering dunes ablaze in burning orange and crimson, one of the most beautiful sights on the planet. You can climb a great dune such as Dune 45 or Big Daddy for sweeping views over the sand sea, then walk out across the cracked white clay of Deadvlei, where blackened, ancient camelthorn trees stand petrified against burning dunes and a deep blue sky, a scene of surreal, otherworldly beauty. After exploring Sossusvlei, you escape the midday heat, then in the afternoon visit the shaded gorge of Sesriem Canyon, carved by the Tsauchab River. Return to your lodge for a sundowner as the light turns golden and the dunes glow. Rest well amid the profound silence of the desert, beneath a dazzling canopy of stars.

Today you drive northwest across the desert to the Atlantic coast, a mesmerising journey through constantly changing scenery. You cross vast gravel plains dotted with peculiar quiver trees and ancient welwitschia plants, pass through moonscape country and perhaps the Kuiseb Canyon, and may stop at the lonely settlement of Solitaire for its famous apple pie. As you near the coast, a cool sea fog often rolls in and the temperature drops sharply, the desert running right down to the wild grey ocean. You may pass Walvis Bay, with its flamingo-filled lagoon, before arriving in Swakopmund, the charming, quirky German colonial seaside town. Settle into your hotel and stroll the palm-lined streets, the jetty and the beachfront, savouring the bracing sea air after the desert heat. This evening, enjoy fresh Atlantic seafood in one of the town's excellent restaurants. Rest well in this delightful coastal town.

Today is yours to enjoy Namibia's adventure capital at your own pace. Thrill seekers can go quad biking and sandboarding on the towering dunes just outside town, take a tandem skydive over the surreal desert-meets-sea landscape, or ride a scenic light-aircraft flight up the eerie Skeleton Coast. For a gentler day, join a living-desert tour that reveals the hidden life of the dunes, chameleons, geckos and sidewinder snakes, or cruise from nearby Walvis Bay to see pelicans, flamingos, Cape fur seals and playful dolphins, often with oysters and sparkling wine on deck. Back in town, browse the shops and galleries, visit the museum and aquarium, and relax in the cafes and bakeries with coffee and cake. This evening, enjoy another superb seafood dinner by the sea. Rest well, for tomorrow you turn north towards the wildlife spectacle of Etosha, the second of Namibia's great icons.

Today you leave the coast and drive north and inland towards the fabled Etosha National Park, Namibia's greatest wildlife destination. The long, scenic drive takes you back through the desert edge and up into the bushveld of the north, the landscape shifting from gravel plains to golden grass and thicker bush. You may pass through the town of Outjo, a good stop for supplies and a famous bakery, before reaching the Etosha area in the afternoon. You settle into your lodge or rest camp near the park, ideally one with a floodlit waterhole where you can sit after dark and watch rhino, elephant and other animals materialise from the night, a magical first taste of Etosha's wildlife. This evening, enjoy dinner as the sounds of the African bush surround you. Rest well, for two full days of thrilling safari in Etosha lie ahead.

Today you have a full day to explore Etosha, driving between its famous waterholes and along the edge of the shimmering white salt pan. In the dry season the game viewing is superb and wonderfully easy: you drive to a waterhole, switch off the engine and wait as an astonishing procession of animals comes to drink, herds of elephant, zebra, springbok, oryx, wildebeest and giraffe, with lion, leopard and cheetah drawn by the concentration of prey. Etosha protects the endangered black rhino in exceptional numbers, and sightings, especially at floodlit waterholes after dark, are a real thrill. The vast, glaring pan stretches to the horizon, shimmering with mirages, an unearthly backdrop to the abundant life at its edges. You pause for a picnic lunch at a rest camp, then continue into the golden afternoon light. Return to camp for a sundowner and dinner beneath the stars. Rest well.

You have another full day to enjoy Etosha's extraordinary wildlife, exploring a different area of the park and its waterholes. Early morning and late afternoon are the most active times, when the light is beautiful and predators are on the move, so you set out at first light in search of lion and return for golden-hour sightings before sunset. You watch the endless drama of the waterhole, tense standoffs between elephant and rhino, jackals and hyenas skirting the edges, giraffe splaying awkwardly to drink, and huge flocks of sandgrouse coming to water. Each waterhole offers something different, and the sense of abundance is thrilling. Between drives you can relax at your camp, watching the resident waterhole with a cold drink in hand. This evening, enjoy a final dinner in the park under a blaze of stars, reflecting on your journey. Rest well, for tomorrow you return to Windhoek and your departure.

This morning you enjoy a final game drive as you make your way out of Etosha, then drive south across the central plateau back towards Windhoek, retracing your route through rolling grasslands, cattle country and distant blue hills, a chance to reflect on the vast and varied land you have crossed. Depending on your flight, you may have time in Windhoek for last-minute shopping for Namibian crafts, gemstones and souvenirs, or a relaxed lunch, before being transferred to Hosea Kutako International Airport for your onward departure. You leave having experienced Namibia's two supreme icons, the sublime red dunes of Sossusvlei and the petrified trees of Deadvlei, and the elephant, rhino and lion of magnificent Etosha, with the charming coast at Swakopmund in between. The images stay vivid long after you land, and you depart already dreaming of a return to explore more of this vast and beautiful land.